Avocado sales growth was far outpacing the total fresh produce category overall in the U.S. at the end of March, despite seeing a lower peak in the middle of the month.

IRI data released by the Hass Avocado Board shows that retail dollar sales of avocados in the week ending March 15 were up 27% year-on-year, amid elevated concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak. While an impressive figure, it came in below fresh fruit at 28% and fresh produce at 35%.

The trend continued in the following week ending March 22, with avocados and fresh fruit both up 21% year-on-year, below fresh produce at 30%.

However, in the final week of the month ending March 29, fresh fruit and fresh produce sales were down at just 1.5% and 8% growth respectively, while avocados were seeing growth of 18% year-on-year.

In total over the four weeks in March, avocado sales growth came in at 18%, only slightly below fresh produce at 19%. Fresh fruit growth was 13% up for the month.

Last week, a report by 210 Analytics in collaboration with IRI and the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) showed that in the last week of March, frozen produce sales were up 41.6% and shelf-stable produce sales rose by 51%.